Small habits lead to big success!
February 4, 2021
Written By: Coach Mairead When you decide to make some changes in your health and nutrition, where do you start? Do you Google frantically and get overwhelmed by information? Maybe you ask a friend what they've done and try to do the same. Maybe you start focusing on monitoring the outcome you want, whether it's weight, blood pressure, or lab blood work values. Do you think about your habits?
Your habits drive the outcomes you're looking for, no matter what you want that outcome to be.
Losing weight or changing your blood work isn't a habit in itself - it's an outcome that can be influenced by the habits you do every day, including how you eat and how active you are. Instead of getting so caught up on the outcome we're looking for, our nutrition clients are more successful when they focus on the habits and behaviours they can control.
We want these habits to be simple and attainable things you can do on a regular basis - if it's too complicated, you won't stick with it and then we won't get the outcomes that we're looking for.
We also want to be able to measure it, preferably in a yes/no format that we can see easily see. Did I drink at least 8 cups of water? Did I include a half plate of vegetables at dinner? Did I have a balanced snack in the afternoon when I know I need it? Did I do some kind of food prep this weekend to make my life easy?
The yes/no format of these habits let's us easily see what we did and didn't do. In On-Going Nutrition Coaching, we use a habit tracker sheet that you can keep on your fridge or wherever you will regularly see it. The tracker helps you see whether you've hit all your habits you need for the day and week. It helps you stay accountable to the goals you've set, and to share that success and consistency with your Nutrition Coach!
If we're not seeing the outcomes we want, we can see if we were consistent with the habits, or if there's further habits we need to include.
The habits we do day-in and day-out are what lead to the health outcomes we want. We can't directly control our health markers, whether that's weight, body fat, or blood work. We CAN control the HABITS that influence those markers.
If you're ready to take a deep dive into the nutrition habits that can change your life, let's chat. Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com
for more info on our Nutrition Programs (currently all virtual!) and to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat to find the best fit for you.
Struggling with cravings? We can help! Find your Conquer Your Cravings e-book here!
This e-book gives you the tools and tricks you need to make peace with your food cravings and find strategies to move past them.
Written By: Coach Sienna The media portrays fitness as looking a certain way and creating this picture of a “perfect person” who eats clean and works out everyday and does everything right and never messes up. When you're always being shown this version of fitness it’s easy to start to think, is this what being fit is? ..... And suddenly you find yourself comparing yourself to unrealistic standards. Fitness is much more than the shape of our body! It's about what your body can do for you and how it can support your daily life and how movement makes you feel strong, accomplished, proud, empowered! Here is how we can overcome the negative impact that some Media has on us, and fitness in general: Redefine Fitness Fitness is more than your body, it's strength, endurance, mobility, energy and how you feel. It's not supposed to be perfect or linear, your body will change and life will happen. What matters most is showing up for yourself and moving your body. Even a little bit can go a long way! Positive Self Talk You don't have to be perfect to love yourself. Be kind to your mind and speak to yourself with kindness. Remind yourself of what your body can do for you, remember you are WORTHY! :) Focusing On The Little Wins We often have such a heavy focus on how we look but what if it was never about how we looked but more about how we felt. Do you notice after you get in a workout or a session you always tend to have a lift in your mood and a shift in perspective. Movement has the power to make us feel strong and happy and more like ourselves! Do Movements You Enjoy Fitness should be fun and functional. You are more likely to stick to it if you enjoy it! Find movements that excite you. Like lifting, walking, running, dancing, gymnastics etc. When you focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like, you can start to see how strong and capable you really are! Set Goals Related To Movement-Mood-Function Movement - touching your toes or doing your first push-up Mood - Having more energy during the day and feeling less anxious Function - Carrying groceries, running around with your kids, etc. Remember - you are already enough! You don't need to look a certain way to be fit. You just need to move your body in a way you enjoy, take care of yourself and celebrate what your body does for you everyday! If you've been feeling stuck, or wanting to start working out with a Coach, or in an environment that is inclusive, inviting, safe, honours all body shapes and sizes, we can help! CLICK HERE to book a free meeting with one of our Coaches to learn how you can get started at Degree or, email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com .
Written By: Coach Sienna We know Cardio is good for your heart health but it is also good for our respiratory systems which help bring oxygen to fuel our muscles to do what they gotta do! By doing cardio we strengthen all of these components which help us live a happier healthy lifestyle! Your body is built to move and releases happy chemicals called endorphins from having an increased heart rate which can improve your mood. This can happen in just 10 minutes! We all know Cardio is an important part of our health but most of us just don’t have a lot of time due to kids, work, life etc. Just remember any movement is a good movement! No matter how long or short it may be. The little things add up (: Use this 10 minute at home cardio workout (no equipment needed!) to get your heart rate up and feeling your best even on the busiest days. 2 Rounds of 1 minute of Jumping Jacks 1 minute of High Knees 1 minute Air Squats or Jump Squat 1 minute of Burpees 1 minute of Mountain Climbers *Rest as needed but try to keep it 30s or less between movements! We understand life gets in the way and schedules can be tough - we are here to help! Let us know how it went! Email info@degreefitnessseaforth.com , or, visit www.degreefitnessseaforth.com/get-started to book your FREE No Sweat Intro to learn more!
Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian You've probably heard of iron and know it's important. Maybe you've even had your levels checked through bloodwork! Iron is an important mineral in our diet. It is part of the blood cells that carry oxygen around our body, and plays roles in growth and the production of some hormones. The amount of iron you need varies. Men need less, while women need more due to blood loss during menstruation. This puts women at higher risk for low iron. The symptoms of low iron include feeling sluggish and fatigued, pale skin, and even hair loss! Women under 50 years old need 18mg of iron a day, while women over 50 and all men only need 8mg of iron daily. Many people can get enough iron through a varied and balanced diet. Iron is found in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, soy, and many grains and vegetables. Our bodies are better able to absorb iron from animal sources - this type of iron is referred to as "heme iron". Non-heme iron is found in plant sources and is harder for your body to absorb. If you rely on plant-based sources of iron, you may need to eat a lot more of it. Pairing iron sources with sources of vitamin C can also help increase absorption. If you suspect your iron levels are low, ask your doctor to check your levels through a blood test. If your iron level is low and you're already consuming enough through diet, you may need a supplement to increase your levels. Always check if you actually need an iron supplement before starting one! Iron plays some key roles in our bodies, and is important for overall health! Make sure you include a variety of sources daily to meet your body's needs! Looking for more personalized nutrition advice? Let's chat! Email mairead@degreefitnessseaforth.com for more information about our Nutrition Programs, or click HERE to book your FREE Bite-Sized Nutrition Chat!